KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee women’s basketball legend Tamika Catchings was announced Friday evening as one of eight finalists for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The list was revealed at the NBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago.
This year’s list includes four first-time finalists: 18-time NBA All-Star and five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant, 15-time NBA All-Star and three-time NBA Finals MVP Tim Duncan, 15-time NBA All-Star and nine-time NBA All-Defensive First Team selection Kevin Garnett, and 10-time WNBA All-Star and four-time Olympic gold medalist Tamika Catchings.
Previous finalists included again this year for consideration are three-time NCAA National Championship Coach of Baylor Kim Mulkey, five-time Division II National Coach of the Year Barbara Stevens, four-time National Coach of the Year Eddie Sutton and two-time NBA Champion coach Rudy Tomjanovich.
“When the nominees for the Class of 2020 were announced in December, we knew this class had the potential of being one of the most historic of all time,” said Jerry Colangelo, Chairman of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “The untimely passing of Kobe Bryant has left us in a state of reflective mourning and we’re proud to honor his legacy while also recognizing seven other individuals who have meant so much to our game. We congratulate our finalists and those who have supported them on their journeys, and we look forward to revealing the Class of 2020 at the Final Four in Atlanta.”
The Hall of Fame Class of 2020 Announcement will take place on April 4 at 11 a.m. EST on ESPN from the NCAA Final Four in Atlanta, Georgia. A finalist needs 18 of 24 votes from the Honors Committee for election into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The Class of 2020 will be enshrined during festivities in Springfield, Massachusetts, the Birthplace of Basketball, Aug. 28-30, 2020. VIP Tickets Packages for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2020 and enshrinement events are on sale at www.hoophall.com. Single event tickets will be available Saturday, April 4, subject to availability.
Catchings, who played for the Lady Vols from 1997-2001, is one of only two UT players to earn WBCA All-America accolades all four years of her career and was a four-time All-SEC recipient, including three times as a first-team honoree.
The 6-1 forward from Duncanville, Texas, was a two-time All-Final Four recipient; the 2001 ESPY Awards Women’s Basketball Player of the Year; the 2000 Associated Press, WBCA, Naismith and U.S. Basketball Writers of America Player of the Year and the 1998 U.S. Basketball Writers of America and SEC Freshman of the Year. Catchings also was a three-time SEC All-Tournament Team member, and two-time NCAA All-Regional Tournament honoree and two-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll.
Catchings played a key role as Tennessee went 39-0 and won an NCAA title in 1998 and also helped the Lady Vols place second in 2000. Additionally, she was instrumental in the Big Orange winning four SEC regular season championships and three tournament crowns.
In Lady Vol history, Catchings remains fourth in all-time scoring with 2,113 points and is sixth with 1,004 career rebounds. She is one of only two UT players to record 2,000 points and 1,000 caroms. Catchings continues to rank third in steals (311), fourth in career field goals (760) and free throws (471), and eighth in blocked shots (136). She also is tied for most games played in a season with 39.
Catchings played 15 seasons with the Indiana Fever, was named the 2011 WNBA MVP and led that franchise to the 2012 WNBA Championship, earning Finals MVP honors. Catchings was a 10-time WNBA All-Star, a 12-time All-WNBA Team selection, a five-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and the 2002 WNBA Rookie of the Year. She holds the league’s all-time steals career mark and now is employed by Indiana as vice president/Fever basketball operations.
Catchings also won four consecutive Olympic gold medals with Team USA from 2002-2016, setting records for most Olympics participated in and most golds won by a Lady Vol.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 25/RV Tennessee (17-7, 7-4 SEC) and No. 16/18 Texas A&M (19-5, 7-4 SEC) will meet Sunday at 3:02 p.m. ET in Thompson-Boling Arena in a contest that has seeding ramifications for the SEC Tournament.
The Lady Vols and Aggies enter the contest in a tie for fourth place in the conference standings along with Arkansas and Kentucky at 7-4. UK has a win over UT, and the Big Orange women face A&M and UA in their next two games.
In addition to conference seeding, Sunday’s contest offers Tennessee an opportunity against an A&M squad that ranks No. 18 in the RPI. As of Feb. 13, the Lady Vols occupy the No. 47 spot in the RPI, with upcoming games against Texas A&M (No. 18) and Arkansas (38) providing a chance to improve that stock.
This will mark the 14th meeting in a series that began in 1997 when Lady Vol head coach Kellie (Jolly) Harper was Pat Summitt’s point guard. UT leads A&M, 8-5.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Sunday’s game will be televised by ESPN2 with Roy Philpott (PxP) and Brooke Weisbrod (Analyst) handling the call.
The contest also can be heard on Lady Vol Network radio stations and by audio stream, with Mickey Dearstone calling the action for the 21st season and Bobby Rader serving as the studio host.
A link to the live audio stream can be found on each game’s Hoops Central page or the Lady Vol schedule on UTSports.com.
For a list of Lady Vol Network affiliates, please click on the Fans tab at the top of UTSports.com, select Vol Network and then click on Vol Network Affiliates in the black bar at the top of the page.
Air time for games on the Lady Vol Radio Network generally occurs 30 minutes prior to tip-off.
SECN+ games are online broadcasts and are available only on WatchESPN via computers, smartphones and tablets.
All of the games included in the ESPN package (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU) and the SEC Network will be available through WatchESPN, accessible online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app, and streamed on televisions through Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 or Xbox One to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider.
BIG CROWD EXPECTED/ARRIVE EARLY
Tennessee’s #12KinTBA promotion has drawn great interest. A season-best crowd surpassing 12,000 is expected on Sunday, so fans should plan to arrive on campus early.
This will mark the Lady Vols’ third crowd over 10,000 this season after having no games reaching 10K in 2018-19.
General admission tickets are now available at AllVols.com for seating located in the 300 level on the side court. General admission tickets will also be available on game day, but fans are encouraged to purchase prior to arrival at the arena.
Gates open at 2 p.m. and free parking & shuttle service is available from UT’s Ag Campus. Shuttles begin two hours prior to tip at 1 p.m.
REPLICA JERSEYS AND MORE PROMOS
The first 500 kids (12 and under) in attendance will receive a free replica #14 Kellie Jolly (Harper) youth jersey. Child must pick up a voucher and be present with voucher to redeem.
It’s Big Orange Family Day. UTK faculty and staff can receive two free tickets to the game by showing I.D. at the ticket window at Thompson-Boling Arena on game day. All deans, faculty and family participating in the Dean’s Battle can check in for their college at the Fan HQ table at Section 129 on the concourse. Contact [email protected] with any questions.
High School Team Day: Take your team out for a day at the Summitt. Contact Spencer Billingsley at [email protected] for more details.
Enjoy the pregame Kids’ Corner near section 113. It opens one hour prior to tipoff. Meet and take pictures with everyone’s favorite dog, Smokey X. More fun includes free face painting, the Big Orange prize wheel, visits from cheerleaders, crafts and more at the Kids’ Corner.
Postgame Layups: Kids 12 & younger can shoot a layup on the court after the game.
High-Five the Lady Vols: Kids 12 & younger can pick up a wristband at the Fan HQ table on the concourse to participate in the pregame high-five tunnel. Wristbands are limited. To purchase discounted group tickets and reserve wristbands for your team, call 865-946-7000.
Want to be the Jr.Vol of the Game? Sign up for the Jr.Vol Club today and get the chance to see yourself on the video board. Members also receive free Jr.Vol swag, tickets to games for all sports, and exclusive Jr.Vol events.
You can be a part of the Lady Vols’ electric introductions. Make sure to download our light show app courtesy of Coca-Cola. The “Hoops Hype” app is available free of charge from the Apple Store or on the Google Play Store.
THE ROAD LEADING UP TO THIS
The Lady Vols will try to snap a three-game losing streak after falling in recent games vs. No. 1 South Carolina, No. 8 Mississippi State and LSU.
UT had won six straight SEC contests and stood at 7-1 before dropping those three contests.
Tennessee’s Rennia Davis is averaging 20.3 points per game in SEC play, shooting 53.7 percent (79-147) from the field and 81.8 (36-44) at the charity stripe.
Jordan Horston is UT’s only other double-figure scorer in league play, contributing 10.5 per game.
Texas A&M enters Sunday’s battle having dropped two of its last three, including losses at LSU and Mississippi State before taking down Vanderbilt at home on Thursday evening.
All-star guard Chennedy Carter missed seven games due to an injury, but she has returned to the lineup and only bolsters an Aggie squad that has several scoring options and plays aggressive defense.
TAMU has four players scoring in double figures in SEC play, including Carter (17.8), N’dea Jones (16.1), Kayla Wells (13.9) and Ciera Johnson (12.5). Jones averages 12.5 rebounds, as well, making her a consistent double-double threat.
A&M’s losses were to Florida State, LSU (twice), Kentucky and Mississippi State.
RECAPPING OUR LAST CONTEST
The #25 Lady Vols pulled within one but couldn’t overcome a 26-point fourth-quarter surge by LSU, falling 75-65 Thursday night in Baton Rouge.
Junior forward Rennia Davis led Tennessee (17-7, 7-4 SEC) with 19 points and six rebounds. Redshirt senior Lou Brown and freshman Tamari Key were nearly in double digits, finishing with nine points each.
Khayla Pointer and Awa Trasi were the top scorers for the Tigers (18-5, 8-3 SEC) with 24 and 22, respectively.
NOTES FROM THE LSU GAME
Bench Contributing: UT’s bench outscored LSU’s bench, 20-15. It was the most points UT’s bench had contributed since scoring 23 at Vanderbilt.
Turnovers In Check: Tennessee committed just 12 turnovers against LSU, tying its lowest turnover total in SEC play which came against Ole Miss on Jan. 9.
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
After closing out a four-game swing where it had to play three of those away from home, the Lady Vols now get to play three of the next four at home.
Included in the run of home contests is No. 16/18 Texas A&M on Sunday (3 p.m. ET), Vanderbilt on Feb. 23 (noon) and Ole Miss on Feb. 27 (7 p.m.). The lone road game during that set is at No. 23/RV Arkansas on Feb. 20 (6 p.m. CT/7 ET).
The Vanderbilt game is UT’s Live Pink, Bleed Orange (Play4Kay) game, and the Ole Miss date is Senior Night.
A&M’s next game is at Georgia on Thursday night.
UT-TAMU SERIES NOTES
Tennessee holds an 8-5 all-time record vs. Texas A&M, dating back to Dec. 19, 1997.
UT is 3-1 in Knoxville, 1-3 in College Station and 4-1 at neutral sites vs. the Aggies.
The Big Orange women are 6-5 vs. hall-of-fame coach Gary Blair and A&M since the Aggies joined the Southeastern Conference.
Kellie Harper is 0-1 vs. Texas A&M and Gary Blair. Her 2015-16 Missouri State team fell, 74-65, in College Station on March 19, 2016, in the NCAA Tournament First Round.
A&M is 2-0 in overtime games vs. UT, defeating the Lady Vols in an extra frame in two of the past three times these squads met in College Station.
Rennia Davis has an 11.0 ppg. average vs. the Aggies in three career games, scoring 10 last season after tallying 12 in College Station and 11 in Knoxville the year before.
In the initial meeting between these teams in Knoxville, on Feb. 28, 2013, Tennessee defeated A&M, 82-72, on Senior Day to give UT an SEC regular-season championship on the Lady Vols’ home court. The squad had been picked to finish as low as fifth in the league and returned no starters.
Tennessee made its first-ever women’s basketball appearance in College Station on Jan. 26, 2014, and the (then) #11/12 Lady Vols picked up a key victory over the (then) #17/15 Aggies, 76-55. A&M was the SEC leader at the time of that defeat.
UT’s first two contests vs. Texas A&M came in tournaments, including one regular-season event in 1997-98 and one postseason event during the 2007-08 campaign.
In the first meeting, the #1/1 Lady Vols rolled to a 105-81 victory over the Aggies at the Northern Lights Invitational in Alaska in game two of a three-game stay.
The famed “Three Meeks” dazzled #8/9 A&M on Dec. 19, 1997, as Chamique Holdsclaw tallied 29, Semeka Randall tossed in 23 and Tamika Catchings added a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds for #1/1 UT in the high-scoring affair.
Kellie (Jolly) Harper was UT’s point guard in that game, and she was the Lady Vols’ fourth player in double figures with 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including a pair of three-pointers.
In 2008, Candace Parker scored 26 points and Alexis Hornbuckle chipped in 14, as the Lady Vols defeated Texas A&M, 53-45, in the Oklahoma City Regional Final to advance to the Final Four in Tampa.
After both of those tourney wins over the Aggies, the Lady Vols would advance to, and win, the NCAA Final Four in 1998 and 2008.
ABOUT TEXAS A&M
The Aggies returned 10 letterwinners, including all five starters, from last season’s team that finished 26-8 overall and 12-4 in SEC play (third).
Texas A&M is led by junior guard Chennedy Carter, who averages 21.6 ppg. Carter recently returned to the lineup after missing seven games due to injury. Three others average double figures.
The Aggies are coached by Gary Blair, who is 402-164 in his 17th season in College Station.
A&M was predicted to win the SEC by the coaches and picked to place second by the media.
RECAPPING A&M’S LAST GAME
No. 16 Texas A&M ran away with a 74-53 home win over Vanderbilt at Reed Arena on Thursday night. Junior forward N’dea Jones recorded her 12th consecutive double-double to help lead the Aggies with 17 points and 12 boards.
A&M (19-5, 7-4 SEC) used a 15-2 run midway through the first quarter to go up by double figures, and held a dominant 28-10 lead after the opening 10 minutes of play.
THE LAST TIME WE MET THE AGGIES
Tennessee outscored No. 21/22 Texas A&M 20-17 in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough to overcome an Aggies team that scored 27 points on nearly 70-percent shooting in the third quarter to send the Lady Vols to a 79-62 setback on Feb. 21, 2019, in College Station.
Senior forward Cheridene Green posted a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds for UT (17-9, 6-7 SEC), and Rennia Davis also managed double digits, finishing the day with 10 points.
Kayla Wells was the high scorer for Texas A&M (20-6, 9-4 SEC) with 29 points. Chennedy Carter was close behind with 28 points, while Shambria Washington had 11.
LAST TIME WE MET IN KNOXVILLE
Senior Jaime Nared scored 23 points and No. 12/13 Tennessee allowed just eight points in the fourth quarter in an 82-67 win over No. 14/12 Texas A&M on Feb. 1, 2018, at Thompson-Boling Arena.
The Lady Vols (18-4, 6-3 SEC), who returned to the win column after dropping three of their previous four matchups, also had Mercedes Russell recording 18 points and 13 rebounds to earn her 40th career double-double, while Rennia Davis scored 11 and Meme Jackson added 10.
UT showed a strong defensive effort in the second half, forcing 12 A&M turnovers and yielding no field goals over the final 3:21 of the game.
Chennedy Carter scored 25 points for the Aggies (17-7, 6-3 SEC), while Jasmine Lumpkin added 22 points and seven boards as the two teams split their regular-season series.
BATON ROUGE, La. – The #25 Lady Vols pulled within one but couldn’t overcome a 26-point fourth-quarter surge by LSU, falling 75-65 Thursday night at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
Junior forward Rennia Davis led Tennessee (17-7, 7-4 SEC) with 19 points and six rebounds. Redshirt senior Lou Brown and freshman Tamari Key were nearly in double digits, finishing with nine points each.
Khayla Pointer and Awa Trasi were the top scorers for the Tigers (18-5, 8-3 SEC) with 24 and 22, respectively.
Both teams started out sluggish offensively, playing nearly a minute and a half before Pointer knocked down the second of a pair of free throws to put LSU on the board at 1-0. Brown scored Tennessee’s first points 30 seconds later with a short jumper. The Tigers jumped out to a 5-2 lead three minutes in, but the Lady Vols had it tied up at seven by the media break. Neither team would hit a field goal for four minutes following the timeout before Brown knocked down a trey to put UT up 10-8 at the 1:40 mark. Trasi answered with a three just before the buzzer for LSU to tie the score at 12-all heading into the second period.
Tennessee’s bench got active in the second stanza with senior Kamera Harris, freshman Jessie Rennie and redshirt junior Jaiden McCoy scoring UT’s first three baskets of the quarter and giving the Lady Vols a 19-17 lead two minutes in. The Tigers rallied back, taking the lead at 24-21 off a Trasi trey with 5:32 remaining in the half. LSU stretched its lead to four before Tennessee mounted an 8-2 run to lead 30-28 with just under two minutes to go. LSU managed a 6-0 run of its own in the final minute before Key hit two free throws to make the halftime score 34-32 in favor of the home team.
The Tigers stretched their lead to six in the opening minutes of the third quarter before Davis drained a baseline jumper to cut the deficit to four at the 7:19 mark. But the Lady Vols, plagued by fouls and turnovers, continued to struggle offensively, falling behind 44-35 by the 5:05 mark. Davis responded for UT, converting on a three-point play to cut the deficit to six. Pointer hit a pair of free throws for LSU, but Jordan Horston posted another three-point play, and Davis followed it up with a quick jumper to pull Tennessee within three at 46-43 with 2:58 left in the period. LSU maintained its three-point lead into the final minute before McCoy hit two free throws to cut the lead to one, cutting the margin to 49-48 heading into the final stanza.
Pointer opened the fourth with a pair of free throws to stretch LSU’s lead back to three, but Jazmine Massengill answered with a 10-foot jumper on the other end. The teams largely traded buckets until Pointer and Trasi combined for six unanswered points, putting LSU up 62-54 with five minutes left in the game. Davis hit a jumper to end the drought for UT, but Trasi followed it up with a long-range 3-pointer, giving LSU a surge of momentum and a nine-point lead with 4:13 to play. Tennessee would get within eight but couldn’t pull off the comeback, and LSU went on to hit its free throws, picking up a 75-65 win at home.
Up Next: Tennessee returns home to host No. 16/18 Texas A&M at 3 p.m. on Sunday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2 and Lady Vol Network radio stations.
Bench Contributing: UT’s bench outscored LSU’s bench 20-15. It was the most points UT’s bench had contributed since scoring 23 at Vanderbilt.
Turnovers In Check: Tennessee committed just 12 turnovers against LSU, tying its lowest turnover total in SEC play which came against Ole Miss on Jan. 9.
The 13-track offering, which was produced by busbee, features a collaboration with husband Michael Ray on “Finish Your Sentences.” Penned by Kelsea Ballerini, Thomas Rhett, Ashley Gorley and Jesse Frasure, the new duet was initially sent to Carly by TR and Big Machine Label Group president Scott Borchetta while she and Michael were in the early stages of dating.
“Scott Borchetta and Thomas Rhett actually sent me that song while I was on the road, and Michael and I had just started dating,” says Carly to Nash Country Daily. “And they were like, ‘We want you to sing this with your new boyfriend.’ And I was like, ‘Well, no, because what if we break up?’ But we listened to it, and it was just this really interesting song. I had never heard anybody finish each others’ sentences in a duet and it really did embody that stage of dating and falling in love that was happening during the making of this record. And so when we knew we were going to be together, I was like, ‘You have to be a part of this record in some capacity.’ It was so fun. We put our vocals on it . . . this really did embody what that first stage was for us. We love singing together. So now it will be great to have our own song.”
Luke Bryan dropped the title track to his upcoming seventh studio album, Born Here, Live Here, Die Here, which will be released on April 24.
Penned by Jameson Rodgers, Josh Thompson and Jake Mitchell, “Born Here, Live Here, Die Here” follows the release of No. 1 lead single, “Knockin’ Boots” and current Top 10 single, “What She Wants Tonight.”
“‘Proud to be right here’ is a phrase from my new album’s title track,” said Luke. “From the moment I first heard it, I loved that this song related so closely to how I grew up and how I still have so many ties to my hometown. It’s a connection I feel is so important in country music. I am truly so thankful to have the opportunity to make music for my fans and to look out into the crowds each night from stage and be proud of what we’ve created.”
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Tennessee men’s basketball team hits the road for a Saturday night matchup with South Carolina. Tipoff inside Colonial Life Areba is slated for 6 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
Saturday’s game can be seen on SEC Network, online through WatchESPN, which can be accessed at espn.com/watch, and on any mobile device through the ESPN App. Mike Morgan and Pat Bradley will have the call.
Fans can also listen in on their local Vol Network affiliate to hear Bob Kesling and Bert Bertlekamp describing the action.
Last time out, the Vols raced past Arkansas to the tune of an 82-61 scoreline on Tuesday night inside Thompson-Boling Arena. Freshman Santiago Vescovi led the way for UT, scoring a season-high 20 points and dishing off a season-high eight assists.
Senior Jordan Bowden added 16 points, finishing 7-of-16 from the field. Junior John Fulkerson was efficient while battling flu-like symptoms. Fulkerson finished the night with 14 points and a game-high eight rebounds.
A victory on Saturday would be the Vols sixth consecutive victory over the Gamecocks, sweeping the regular season series for the third consecutive year. A win would also give UT its 11th straight triumph in regular season rematch games.
Up next, Tennessee returns home to Thompson-Boling arena for a Tuesday night matchup with Vanderbilt. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
THE SERIES
• Tennessee leads the all-time series with South Carolina, 47-27, dating to 1927. The Vols are riding a five-game win streak against the Gamecocks.
• The series is deadlocked at 16-16 when contested in Columbia.
• Tennessee defeated South Carolina, 56-55, in Knoxville on Jan. 11.
A WIN WOULD…
• Give the Vols a winning record against the Gamecocks in Columbia.
• Extend UT’s win streak over South Carolina to six games.
• Make Tennessee 11-0 in SEC regular-season rematch games since the start of the 2017-18 campaign.
STORYLINES
• In SEC road games, senior guard Jordan Bowden leads the Vols in scoring with 15.6 ppg. Juniors John Fulkerson (11.4 ppg) and Yves Pons (10.2 ppg) also average double-digit scoring on the road in league play.
• With 173 career 3-point makes, senior Jordan Bowden ranks 10th on Tennessee’s all-time list.
• True freshman Santiago Vescovi dished out a season-high eight assists in Tuesday’s win over Arkansas. He owns a 2.2 assist/turnover ratio over UT’s last five games.
• Tennessee averaged 14.3 turnovers through its first 17 games but has averaged only 10.6 turnovers in its last six outings.
• Vols freshman Josiah-Jordan James has missed Tennessee’s last four games with a groin injury. He had started every game prior to this setback, and his current status is day-to-day.
LAYUP LINES
• During SEC play, Tennessee leads the league in blocks (6.2 bpg) and owns the conference’s best scoring defense (65.5 ppg).
• Junior forward Yves Pons has blocked at least one shot in every game this season. He leads the SEC and ranks 20th nationally with 2.6 bpg. His 2.8 bpg during SEC play also leads the league.
• Freshman point guard Santiago Vescovi has made at least one 3-pointer in every game in which he’s appeared (12), averaging 2.3 made threes per game.
• Barring injury or illness, senior guard Jordan Bowden will finish his career in the top five on Tennessee’s list for career games played. Saturday will be the 126th game in which he’s appeared.
• For three games earlier this month, Tennessee’s starting lineup featured four different nationalities (American, French, Serbian, Uruguayan).
ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA
• After falling to Tennessee on Jan. 11 in Knoxville, South Carolina has reeled off wins in seven of its last nine contests, with notable victories at home over Kentucky and on the road at Arkansas. The Gamecocks currently sit at 15-9 (7-4 SEC).
• South Carolina head coach Frank Martin has the Gamecocks trending in the right direction as the 2019-20 regular season nears its conclusion. The 7-4 SEC mark has South Carolina in a tie for fourth place in the league and in the hunt for a double-bye at the conference tournament next month.
• Senior forward Maik Kotsar continues to be a force for South Carolina on both ends of the floor. He ranks third on the Gamecocks in scoring (10.3 ppg), second in assists (2.1 apg) and first in rebounding (6.4 rpg), blocks (1.1 bpg) and steals (1.6 spg).
• Sophomore guard A.J. Lawson continues to be the Gamecocks’ main scoring threat. While the Toronto, Canada, native has seen his overall scoring average drop since last facing the Vols, he has strung together one of his best stretches of games in recent weeks. In the Gamecocks’ last five contests, he is averaging 15 points (eclipsing the 15-point mark three times) while scoring a game-high 20 points in South Carolina’s big win at Georgia Tuesday night.
• The University of South Carolina libraries currently house the world’s largest collection of work from famous author Ernest Hemingway.
• South Carolina’s undergraduate enrollment is 26,733.
LAST TIME VS. SOUTH CAROLINA
• A strong defensive effort and a drawn charge by John Fulkerson in the closing seconds propelled Tennessee to a 56-55 win over South Carolina on Jan. 11, 2020, at Thompson-Boling Arena.
• With Tennessee leading by one with six seconds remaining, South Carolina guard A.J. Lawson grabbed the rebound off a UT missed 3-pointer and raced the length of the court to attempt a go-ahead shot. As Lawson drove down the lane, Fulkerson stepped in front and drew a charge with 1.4 seconds remaining, securing the win.
• Fulkerson led the Vols in scoring with 15 points and also grabbed 10 rebounds, achieving the second double-double of his career and first of the season. Freshmen Santiago Vescovi and Josiah-Jordan James added 13 and 10 points, respectively.
• Defensively, Tennessee held its opponent to less than 60 points for the seventh time and recorded a season-high 11 blocked shots.
• Maik Kotsar had 17 points and Jermaine Couisnard had 15 to pace South Carolina.
• After coming out of halftime with a one-point lead, South Carolina opened the second half on a 13-6 run, as Tennessee converted on just two of its first nine attempts from the field.
• With the Gamecocks holding their largest lead of the game at 39-31, the Vols came alive on the offensive end with a 20-5 run, capped by back-to-back threes from the freshman duo of Drew Pember and James. The run put Tennessee in front, 51-44, a lead it would not relinquish.
• Over the course of the run, UT held South Carolina without a field goal for more than six minutes, as the Gamecocks missed 10 consecutive shots.
• South Carolina took a 26-25 lead into halftime in a first half marred by scoring droughts and shooting struggles. The Vols shot just 7-for-27 (.259) from the field during the game’s opening period.
MEMORABLE VOL PERFORMANCES AGAINST SOUTH CAROLINA
• On Dec. 6, 1969, unranked Tennessee strolled into Columbia and upset the No. 1-ranked Gamecocks, 55-54, thanks to 20 points from Jimmy England, and double-doubles by Don Johnson (18 pts, 12 rebs) and Bobby Croft (12 pts, 13 rebs).
• A two-overtime thriller in Columbia saw South Carolina pull out a 111-107 win on Feb. 10, 1993, despite 20-point efforts from Allan Houston (29), Lang Wiseman (26) and Corey Allen (22).
• Wayne Chism scored 23 points, JaJuan Smith added 19 and Tyler Smith had 13, but it was Chris Lofton’s 25-footer with 12.0 seconds remaining that lifted the Vols to an 89-87 win over South Carolina in the 2008 SEC Tournament in Atlanta on March 14, 2008.
• 2011 first-team All-SEC guard Scotty Hopson had a bright career against South Carolina, owning a sterling 6-0 record vs. the Cocks. Hopson threw down a posterizing dunk in the 2011 Knoxville win that placed fourth in the CBS Dunk of the Year Contest.
FORMER BIG 12 RIVALS BARNES, MARTIN NOW UNDER SEC BANNER
• Tennessee coach Rick Barnes and South Carolina headman Frank Martin meet for the 17th time as conference rivals Saturday and the 10th time under the SEC banner.
• The two squared off seven times as coaches in the Big 12 Conference, when Barnes was with Texas and Martin was at Kansas State.
• Barnes holds a 9-7 edge in head-to-head meetings.
• The 53-year-old Martin went 117-54 in five seasons at Kansas State, taking his 2009-10 squad to the Elite Eight and winning the Big 12 Coach of the Year award that same season. Barnes was one of the top coaches in the Big 12 during his 17-year tenure at Texas, winning four Big 12 Coach of the Year awards.
SECOND TIME’S A CHARM
• Over the last two seasons, Rick Barnes and his staff guided the Volunteers to a 10-0 record in regular-season rematch games (SEC Tournament games not included).
• Saturday’s showdown against the Gamecocks is UT’s first rematch game this season.
BOWDEN AMONG SEC’s BEST
• Senior guard Jordan Bowden ranks among the SEC’s active career leaders in several statistical categories.
• He ranks third in points (1,258), fourth in steals (123), eighth in assists (235) and eighth in rebounds (436).
• Only Breein Tyree (Ole Miss) and Skylar Mays (LSU) have scored more career points among active SEC players.
INITIATE LOCKDOWN SEQUENCE
• History indicates that teams are likely to experience a lengthy scoring drought when they face the Vols.
• 13 times this season, Tennessee has held an opponent scoreless or without a field goal for a span exceeding five minutes of game action. That includes a span of 5:52 during which the Vols held Arkansas scoreless on Tuesday.
Darius Rucker’s 2013 No.1 hit, “Wagon Wheel,” has been certificated by the RIAA as 8X Platinum for sales of 8 million units.
The tune, which was written by Bob Dylan and Old Crow Medicine Show’s Ketch Secor, is now one of the Top 5 best-selling country songs of all time as certified by the RIAA.
Darius was surprised with a plaque presentation by the RIAA on Feb. 12 at the Country Music Hall of Fame.
“I don’t believe you,” said Darius. “I don’t believe this! Wow, what a testament to the fans and their love of country music.”
“Even in my wildest dreams for ‘Wagon Wheel,’ the singer was never me or Bob,” said Ketch. “It could have been a lot of different people who had the big hit with it. It could have been one of those perfect-smile guys with the made-for-TV personalities. That it was instead a salt of the earth singer like Darius is something divine I’ll leave to the theologians to figure out.”
RIAA Best-Selling Country Songs
“Cruise” – Florida Georgia Line, 11X Platinum
“Old Town Road” – Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus, 11X Platinum
Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives and Steve Miller Band will join forces for a co-headlining tour this summer.
The Americana Tour will kick off on June 13 in Austin, with additional stops in Nashville, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, St. Louis and more. Gary Mule Deer will serve as support. The new tour follows a 34-date co-headlining tour in 2019.
“Touring with the Steve Miller Band has proved to be magical,” says Marty. “It is indeed an honor to go across the nation with Steve and the Steve Miller Band.”
“Touring with Marty and the Superlatives is inspirational,” adds Steve. “This is undoubtedly one of the most talented touring combinations I’ve ever been involved in. We look forward to continuing working together to explore the roots of American Music. Adding the musical comedy of Gary Mule Deer to the show will be an unexpected treat for our fans. I’m delighted to be able to tour with these great artists and to bring the Steve Miller Band audience the best of the best.”
Cam is returning to country radio—hopefully—with the release of her new single, “Till There’s Nothing Left.”
Penned by Cam, Tyler Johnson, Jeff Bhasker and Hillary Lindsey, “Till There’s Nothing Left” is the lead single to Cam’s upcoming sophomore album, which is slated to drop this summer. The inspiration for the song came from Cam’s relationship with her husband of four years, Adam Weaver.
“My husband and I will go drive and have a quickie in the back of the car,” says Cam. “Why am I embarrassed to sing about that? ‘Till There’s Nothing Left’ is a commitment. It’s saying—I am gonna love you with everything I have, physically, spiritually, I’m so in.”
Cam also released a stormy new video for the tune, which was directed by Dano Cerney and filmed at the Hitching Post Western Saloon in Portland, Tenn.
“It’s the end of the world and I know a little place in the eye of the storm,” says Cam. “Let’s live our last moments dancing together in the neon glow.”
Watch the new video for “Till There’s Nothing Left” below.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced Wednesday the top 10 candidates for the 2020 Cheryl Miller Award, and Tennessee standout Rennia Davis has made the cut for the second year in a row.
Named after the three-time Naismith Player of the Year and Class of 1995 Hall of Famer, the annual award in its third year recognizes the top small forwards in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball.
“The players on this top-10 list are unquestionably some of the most gifted in basketball today and they should feel honored to be considered for the Cheryl Miller Award,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “Ms. Miller has long been considered as one of the greats of our game, and we are grateful to have her insight as we move forward in this process.”
The 6-foot-2 junior from Jacksonville, Fla., is averaging a career-best 18.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per contest to lead the Lady Vols, ranking second and sixth, respectively, among SEC players. In conference action, she has averaged 20.4 points and 7.8 rebounds, ranking first among all league players in scoring and seventh in rebounding.
The UT standout is shooting 48.7 percent from the field and 80.7 percent from the free throw line in all games to rank ninth and third, respectively, in the conference. In SEC play, she is hitting field goals at a 53-percent clip to rank fifth among her peers and is second at the charity stripe with an 82.9 percentage.
Davis leads the team in three-pointers with 27 buckets from long range and is second in steals (21) and third in assists (48).
Davis, who has led a young Tennessee squad to a 17-6 record and No. 25 national ranking thus far, has scored in double figures in 20 straight games and in 21 of her 22 contests this season. Including last year, she has hit 10 or more points in 34 of her past 35 starts. She has registered five 20-point games so far in 2019-20, moving into a tie for ninth on UT’s career list with 12 games of scoring 20 or more.
She also has tallied eight double-double efforts thus far and would move into the top 10 all-time for Lady Vol juniors with just one more. She currently ranks 11th in career double-doubles with 26 during her third year on Rocky Top.
Earlier this season, Davis reached the 1,000-point scoring plateau, becoming the 46th Lady Vol to reach that milestone. She has since climbed to No. 32 on the list with 1,257 points entering the LSU game.
Davis previously has been announced as a member of the 2020 John R. Wooden Award Late Season Top 20 and the Citizen Naismith Trophy Midseason Top 30.
The winner of the 2020 Cheryl Miller Small Forward Award will be presented at The College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy’s in Los Angeles, CA on Friday, April 10, 2020, along with the other four members of the Women’s Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard Award, the Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard Award, the Katrina McClain Power Forward Award, and the Lisa Leslie Center Award, in addition to the Men’s Starting Five.
Previous winners of the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Award include Bridget Carleton, Iowa State (2019) and Gabby Williams, Connecticut (2018). For more information on the 2020 Cheryl Miller Award and the latest updates, log onto www.hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophall and #MillerAward on Twitter and Instagram.
![Luke Bryan Drops Title Track to Upcoming Album, “Born Here, Live Here, Die Here” [Listen]](https://cdn.socast.io/6616/sites/602/2020/02/14090115/Luke-Bryan-CH.jpg#aqua_resizer_image_not_local)
![Cam Drops Surging New Single, “Till There’s Nothing Left,” From Upcoming Album [Watch New Video]](https://cdn.socast.io/6616/sites/602/2020/02/13102322/Cam-TA.jpg#aqua_resizer_image_not_local)
